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How this weird “Exploding Kittens” game raised $8.8 million

A curious new game, "Exploding Kittens," has taken the App Store by storm after raising a record-breaking $8.8 million.

It seems like App Store games just keep getting weirder. According to a report from Mashable, the latest craze to top the charts is a new card game called “Exploding Kittens.” The developers launched a Kickstarter campaign and raised a staggering $8.8 million to roll out the game.

The game launched in Apple’s App Store for iOS devices with a price tag of $1.99. As a promotion, all of the game’s in-app purchases will be free for a limited time frame. Each game can host up to six players, but the coolest part is that no internet connection is required to play – each device in the game links up on a specific connection.

The game can also be played in physical form. Developers Matthew Inman and teammates Elan Lee and Shane Small garnered a whopping $8.8 million in pledges from more than 200,000 donators by the end of the Kickstarter campaign, on Feb 19, 2015. The game currently holds the record as the most funded Kickstarter game in history.

The game’s web page describes it as a “highly strategic, kitty-powered version of Russian Roulette.” Players choose cards from a deck until an explosive kitten appears, resulting in a loss for the player that drew that card.

If a player draws an explosive kitten, however, they aren’t out for good. There are a number of special cards that can diffuse a live kitten, allowing for different strategies for staying in the game. From the creators of The Oatmeal, the game also features a highly distinctive art style depicting the explosive kitties.

Will the game become the next mobile phone craze? Hop on over to the App Store and give it a try for yourself. More information about the new Exploding Kittens game can be found here.